


Deeply Drunk || Taemin one shot

by MoMyMiddleName



Category: K-pop, SHINee
Genre: College, F/M, Halloween, Love, One Shot, Party, Understanding, University, Youth, discussions, dorm - Freeform, drunk, kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-21
Updated: 2016-11-21
Packaged: 2018-09-01 08:34:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8617084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoMyMiddleName/pseuds/MoMyMiddleName
Summary: It's easier to understand the world when you're not all by yourself.





	

**Friday, November 4th**

From the way he spoke, I knew that Taemin was a good boy. Even considering I had mainly spoken to him drunk at college parties I was still certain that I was right in that statement. Especially now that he had knocked on my door and stood looking at me with much innocence to trace in his eyes. Let me take you a few steps back in this story.

**Thursday, October 6th**

I closed the door behind me and walked down the hall past the many different doors. They were decorated with stickers and colourful permanent markers by us, as well as the many students who had lived in this college hall before us. I reached the shared kitchen and poured water into the boiler.

"Could you put enough in for me as well?" Asked a voice behind me. I turned around to see Taemin standing with a packet of instant ramen in his hands. I nodded with a small smile and filled up the boiler further. I leant on the kitchen counter. Both of us were aware of each other's presence but none of us aware of what to say to each other. I looked at Taemin again, who was looking back at me. We smiled awkwardly at each other and looked away. I thought hard for something to say.

"It was a shame we didn't get to talk for longer at the party last weekend," I stated, looking back up at him. He nodded.

"Yes, it was nice while it lasted," he chuckled awkwardly. I felt my hands clutching and unclutching, keeping my hands occupied as the awkwardness built further. I tried to think of an answer to keep the thick silence from returning.

"Maybe we'll have another chat at the next party." I felt satisfied with my quick answer.

"There's one Saturday I think. Are you coming then?" He sat down on the chair behind him, keeping his focus on me as he awaited my answer.

"I probably will." I shrugged and turned around to the boilers click that indicated it had finished doing its job. I poured the boiling water on my ramen and set the boiler down for Taemin to use. "See ya Saturday," I said before walking back to my room.

**Saturday, October 8th**

"Got you a drink," Taemin said, leaning his back against the same wall as I. He handed me a plastic cup with a sparkling orange liquid inside.

"Thanks... I'm glad to see you here. I was starting to get bored waiting for my friend." I gestured towards Eunhye, who had told me she'd get a drink and come back. It seemed she had forgotten all about me as she had stumbled upon Minho from my photography class, who she was now rubbing herself up on out on the dancefloor. Taemin looked at them and chuckled in amusement.

"Yeah I get you. I'm currently waiting for her dance partner," he said with a look that told me he had given up on that long ago. "It's funny how we just accept that we're the ones who have to stand up against the wall, watching our friend have fun. We could easily pull ourselves out of this situation by taking a few steps forward and find someone to dance with. Yet we choose to stay up against this wall," he said looking out at our friends dancing closely up against each other.

"Maybe we don't want to participate. Maybe we like the security of the wall behind us. From here we can see everything. We spectate as the scene unfolds before us because it's safer than having to take part in it." My suggestion had us both wondering if we had the ability to walk away from the wall, if we were brave enough. Before any of us could suggest any alternatives or new thoughts, Eunhye came over.

"Minho is cute." She bit her lip and bounced up and down a couple of times. Taemin chuckled behind me and so did I. "Dance with me. I wanna dance with my best friend." She pulled at my arm and I looked apologetically at Taemin. He sent me a smile as to say 'leave this wall before it absorbs you'.

**Sunday, October 9th**

I pulled my hoodie over my head and hurried across the road to the convenience store. The rain had already half drenched me when I reached the shop doors. Inside I spotted Taemin, also wet from the gallons of water pouring down from the skies. I approached him.

"Hungover?" I asked from behind him. He did a startled turn and nodded at me with a tired, gloomy smile. "Me too." I grabbed a can of coke. "Did Minho ever come back to you?" I asked walking towards the register with him.

"Yeah, he did. He kept talking about your friend until I had followed him to his room and put him to bed. He was too drunk for his own good," Taemin told me, shaking his head. I chuckled and paid for my soda. I waited for him to pay for himself before walking out into the rain with him. We jogged across the street together, shielded by his leather jacket.

**Wednesday, October 12th**

"Harley," I heard a voice say behind me. I turned around to see Minho and Taemin looking at me. I neared them, asking them how I could be of their assistance. "Your friend Eunhye. Do you think she likes me?" Minho asked. The anticipation for my answer was clear obvious from the way he had spoken and the look in his eyes.

"We haven't really talked about it but I highly believe that she does. She seemed to like you a lot. As her best friend I'd like to think I can tell." I nodded, sending Taemin a quick knowing look before turning around to walk to my next class.

**Friday, October 14th**

"Once again we meet by the wall." This time I had spotted him and walked over next to him. He sighed with a smile. He then pointed into the crowd towards Minho and Eunhye.

"Once again they meet on the dancefloor." He took a sip of his beer. "Do you ever get tired of the wall?" He asked me, still watching Minho and Eunhye dance closely together.

"Sometimes." I changed my gaze from the dancing crowd to Taemin. He must have felt me staring because he fixed his gaze on me too.

"Hey... Wanna leave the wall together? Heck, let's leave the building. We can have a lot more fun on our own than in here." I nodded in agreement, grabbed his arm and together we went for the door. When we had reached the street I pulled out a bottle of coke mixed with (a lot) of vodka.

"I thought we might need this more than they do." I winked as I confidently walked down the street. He followed right after.

"When did you even take that?" He asked curiously as he watched me open the bottle and take a sip. I handed it to him.

"I'm just stealthy like that. It's all that observation I've been doing. The wall does have some perks." I smirked. He chuckled at my words.

"I find you very interesting, luring even," he spoke and let the bottle touch his lips once more. I knew exactly what he meant by that. So many things about Taemin made me want to see him again every time we said goodbye. I looked up at him and shivered, not because of the cool night air. Maybe because of his fluttering eyes as he took a sip of the strong blend or the way he scrunched up his nose at the sharp burn of the vodka.

"Ditto." I took the bottle from his hand and let more of the sharp-tasting liquid slide down my throat.

We got drunker than we had intended and so we found ourselves at 3 am sitting on a set of swings, talking bullshit and acting as if we knew more about the world than anyone else.

"Well, obviously there's some sort of connection between the people by the wall and the people on the dancefloor. It's just not direct and it's one sided. Unless, of course, wall people like us have friends amongst the dancefloor people. Other than that we're pretty much invisible to them, but they are the only thing that we see, at least during the parties," I explained messily with many big hand gestures that got me close to falling off the swing several times.

"I understand but don't you think they know we're there? Other than Minho and Eunhye of course." He looked like we were currently solving high-level math problems without as much as pen and paper to remember the numbers.

"Sure they know, but they don't pay attention and, quite frankly, they don't care. To them we're buzzkills. The boring students who don't want to party you know? They don't understand." He nodded with furrowed eyebrows.

"Let's change that someday. Let's sweep them off their feet." He illustrated this with a big sweeping hand gesture that sent his bum sliding right off the swing, landing in the sand underneath. He chuckled and reached out a hand for me to help him up. I got up and pulled at his arm.

"Let's go back," I smiled and he agreed, leaning his elbow on my shoulder as we walked. "We're the coolest people at school," I said without a trace of insecurity or hesitation to trace on me. Taemin agreed and we continued to discuss this as we walked home and into our separate rooms; not before one last goodbye was said accompanied by a spot on high five.

**Saturday, October 15th**

I woke up with a strong headache. I tried to fall asleep again but the aching, dizziness and ugly taste in my mouth prevented that from happening. Instead, I decided to get myself out of bed and find a couple of painkillers to take away the worst of the hangover. I stayed in my room for a while, waiting for the pills to work. When the pain eased I began to realise how hungry I was. I made the decision to emerge from my room in my hoodie and trainers. I was on my way to the convenience store seeing as I didn't have much hangover-friendly food left.

"Harley wait up!" I heard as I was about to cross the road. Taemin jogged over to me and we walked to the convenience store together.

"How's the bum?" I asked and for a second he looked at me with a puzzled look before he understood.

"I found sand in my pockets and in other, not so nice, places but other than that I'm fine." He made a face of discomfort as I opened the door and held it for him.

"Nasty." I scrunched up my nose.

We both bought instant ramen and ended up in his room stuffing our faces without much talking. We both sat hoping the food wouldn't find its way back up again.

"Thanks for letting me eat here with you. I'll go back and sleep now."

**Friday, October 21st**

I stood alone at the wall not knowing where to look now that Eunhye had decided to go on a date with Minho instead of going to the party. I didn't expect to see Taemin as Minho wasn't here and they, like Eunhye and I, always arrived together. I had only come because I didn't want to be alone, but I had soon found that coming here was just as lonely as being in my room by myself. The only difference being that it was much louder here and I couldn't wear my pyjamas.

"You came." I turned my head and saw Taemin leaning his back against the wall.

"I see you did too," I answered raising my can as a greeting. We stood quietly next for a while, staring out at the crowd of students dancing. A smile crept onto my face. "Here's a thought," I began after having debated it with myself for a while. "Since our friends are not here, should we borrow their roles on the dancefloor just for the night?" He looked intrigued by the idea.

"An interesting experiment you are suggesting." He held out his hand for me to take. I grabbed it and our backs lost contact with the safeness of the wall behind us.

Our dancing was clumsy, to say the least, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that we had stepped away from the wall and away from what had ended up becoming a bigger part of us than we had originally thought or intended. I let my hand grab his arm and I moved closer to him, trying to imitate the moves that I had so carefully watched Eunhye do on Minho. It seemed like Taemin understood and grabbed my hips. The change in his movements surprised me. He had complete control of his body now and it was extraordinary for me to witness. I let him take the lead because I really liked whatever had taken over him. For quite a while we danced until our bodies grew too tired and our minds too clear. We left together and once again parted in the college hall with a high five.

**Sunday, October 23rd**

"What are you going as for the Halloween party?" Eunhye and I were lying on her bed having one of our many collective procrastination sessions.

"Haddock." I scrolled through my Instagram feed, liking a couple of my brother's gaming photos.

"From Tintin?" She asked, looking up from her phone. I answered with a hum and shifted around so my neck was comfortable on Eunhye's thigh.

"I'm guessing you're going as a slutty nurse again this year." I put my phone away and looked up at Eunhye. She narrowed her eyes at me.

"I'm going as Cleopatra this year and Minho is going as Caesar," she scoffed.

"Oh that's right you're in a relationship now. I think it's the first time I'll experience you not going as something slutty. Unless you're going as slutty Cleopatra of course." My tone was very clearly teasing and the smile on my face made it even clearer.

"It's not gonna be slutty." She smiled, but her eyes shot daggers. I chuckled and got up from her bed.

"I'll go now. I can hear my photography assignment screaming to be done before it's due. Thanks for letting me procrastinate with you." I sent her a smile and left. I walked down the hall to my room when I spotted Taemin and Minho walking in my direction.

"Harley do you know if Eunhye is in her room?" Minho asked me when we were only a few feet apart.

"She is. I was just in there," I smiled and Minho returned it. He gave me a quick hug before jogging to Eunhye's room. "They're really in love huh?" I asked Taemin, who I had now been left alone with.

"It can get a little annoying to look at." He scrunched up his nose, ruffled my hair and walked back to his room. I smiled to myself and waddled back into mine.

**Friday, October 28th**

I put on the sailor hat and nodded at my reflection in the mirror. I was beyond satisfied with my costume and I was excited to show it off.

I quickly found my place by the wall, looking out at all the dressed up people. My eyes seemed to be searching for someone specific and they soon found him against the wall at the other side of the room. I furrowed my eyebrows but quickly pushed through the dancing people in all kinds of costumes to reach the other wall and join Taemin.

"New wall?" I asked, standing next to him and feeling the new wall up against my back.

"I guess you could say I reached the other side." He chuckled and looked over at me. "I like your costume." I smiled and looked at his outfit.

"Howl. I like it." I gave him an acknowledging nod. "Did you see Minho and Eunhye anywhere?" I asked him and he pointed to the punch bowl. There stood Cleopatra and Caesar pouring punch for each other.

"They did a pretty neat job." He directed his gaze back to me. I nodded in agreement. "Wanna get something to drink too?" He asked, holding out his arm for me to take. I shot him a grin and grabbed onto him.

"Hey guys," I said when we had come close enough for them to hear us over the music. They turned around and eyed our costumes up and down.

"You did a great job with the Haddock costume. Why am I even surprised, I've known you for years?" Eunhye smiled and pulled me in for a hug. I told her she and Minho looked good too. We poured ourselves some punch and talked for a while.

"Taemin?" I asked when we had returned to the wall. He turned his gaze to me, signalling that I had his full attention. "Why do we not get tired of doing the same things over and over like this?" He thought for a second.

"Well if it's fun it doesn't matter how many times you do it. That counts for some things at least... Like dancing. We see people dancing from the day they were able to walk till the day they cannot anymore," he explained to me.

"And that's how we feel about the wall I guess," I elaborated.

"At these parties, I think it's more about who's by the wall. You sought to the opposite wall as soon as you saw I was here. The wall in itself is not what interests us. It's the person leaning on it." That seemed logical to me.

"The dancefloor is not what they seek. It's the dance and the people. The wall is not what we seek. We seek the conversation and the people, or rather, person." I concluded our discussion.

"I'd say so." He nodded and took a sip of his drink.

**Friday, November 4th**

I was tired of drowning in alcohol as music played so loud I could feel the vibrations of the bass deep in my chest. I stayed home from the weekly party tonight. The only thing I would miss was the company of Taemin and our discussions that gave me an insight into his mind which, to me, was very interesting. He had many sides to him and that enticed me. From the way that he spoke, I knew that Taemin was a good boy. Even considering I had mainly spoken to him drunk at college parties I was still certain that I was right in that statement. Especially now that he had knocked on my door and stood looking at me with much innocence to trace in his eyes.

"You didn't come?" He asked with his fingers tangled in each other as he spoke. Both of us felt awkward without alcohol or a wall to secure us. Our sober talks had never lasted quite long. Not even when we had spent a longer amount of time together, eating ramen in his room, had we exchanged many words.

"I'm tired of alcohol and loud music." I opened the door wider for him to enter.

"I was too. I mainly came tonight to speak to you but Eunhye told me you had stayed home." He closed the door behind him and stepped inside.

"I was sad I wouldn't get to see you tonight," I confessed and sat back down on my bed. Taemin joined me, casually leaning up against the wall before retreating from it. He sat still for a while and I sent him a puzzled look.

"In here we aren't connected to the wall," he stated with a satisfied nod and, instead, turned his body towards me and crossed his legs. I did the same and we sat for a few seconds looking at each other.

"When there's no dancefloor our wall is meaningless. No one to spectate. I guess you could say we're off duty?" I explained, this time not quite sure how to phrase my sentences. I found it harder to when the setting was so different and my alcohol levels were minimised. "But hey let's talk about something else for a change. We barely know anything about each other," I said excitedly and hugged my pillow. He nodded and thought for a second.

"What are you even studying?" We both laughed at the fact that we didn't even know this yet.

"I'm in graphic design with photography."

"Oh yeah, you have photography with Minho... I'm in music and dance."

"Do you have any places you want to see? Anywhere in the world."

"I'd like to see Venice someday." He bit his lip innocently and I couldn't help but stare. For the first time when with him I experienced a very strong need for physical contact. Even the dancing session we had a couple of weeks back could not compete with the neediness I was feeling towards him at this moment. I was close to leaning in but stayed put.

"I'll take you someday. It's stunning." He smiled at my idea. "For me, it's Japan in the snow and the rainbow mountains in China," I responded with a dreamy look in my eyes, imagining the beauty of the landscapes. "At this very moment, where would you like to be the most?"

"In your presence," he answered very surely. "As I've said before I'm strangely fascinated by you," he elaborated honestly on his statement.

"I think I'm gonna steal your answer and say that the same goes for me." I thought for a short second. "Especially right now. I keep wanting to kiss you." I glanced down at his lips once more.

"What's stopping you?" At this, he reached out for my arm and pulled me closer. I grabbed his hair and pressed my forehead against his before I pressed a light kiss on his lips. "That was short," he commented with a sweet, sugary smile.

"I was just getting myself ready. You make me feel strange, good strange," I whispered, still with our foreheads touching. A single chuckle left his mouth before I reconnected our lips and I gently began pulling at his soft hair. His hand slipped under my shirt and all the way up my back to my bra that he unclipped. He smirked and I pulled it out of my sleeve, pausing the kiss for a few seconds. He moved his lips closer to mine and bit my lower lip. A strange noise left my mouth from the surprise of his action. We couldn't help but burst out into a smaller laughing fit.

We ended up spending the rest of the night kissing, talking, kissing, playing cards, kissing, watching a movie and kissing some more before falling asleep in a messy cuddle with arms and legs peeking out from the blankets.

**Saturday, December 31st**

I sat outside in the snow, hugging my legs when I heard the sound of suitcase wheels on asphalt. I looked up and found him looking back at me.

"Harley. Why are you sitting out here in the freezing cold?" He embraced me in a warm and loving hug.

"I was waiting for you," I smiled and held onto him tightly. "It's not the same here without you," I muttered into his coat.

"How was your Christmas holiday here?" He asked as we walked into the student hall with his hand around my shoulder.

"It was okay. It was basically all the foreign kids who couldn't afford to go home, crying over sweet gifts they had gotten from their parents and other relatives. I bonded with that Alice girl who lives just by the kitchen on our floor. She was cool. We all spent most of the time together in the kitchen and common room," I shrugged and pressed the button for the elevator.

"That sounds alright at least." He kissed my forehead when the doors had closed and the elevator began to move.

"How was yours?"

"I just spent the time relaxing with my family. I got some nice gifts too. We can show each other later, then I can give you your gift too." He smiled excitedly at me and my lips automatically curved upwards.

"I have something for you too." I pecked his lips and the doors to the elevator opened. We walked to his room where he put his suitcase on the floor and opened it. He pulled out a small gift. It was wrapped in festive red wrapping paper which was a lot fancier than my gift for Taemin. I suddenly got unsure as I pictured the small gift, standing on my nightstand, wrapped in yesterday's paper that Alice, who had finished reading it, let me have.

He threw off his coat on his way out of the room and shut the door behind us. We walked to my room and I picked up the gift from my nightstand. I handed it to him and he handed mine to me.

"Cute wrapping paper," he commented with a grin. I chuckled nervously. "You go first," he told me. I looked down at the small square in my hand and I ripped off the paper. A cardboard box was revealed 'To keep the good memories close.' Was written across the top in Taemin's handwriting. I smiled up at him before turning my attention back to the now open box. Inside was a small figurine of Haddock and next to it, one of Howl. I looked up at him with sparkling eyes.

"This is so sweet." I kissed his forehead and smiled brightly at him. I placed the figurines on the shelf above my desk so they were visible at all times. "Your turn." I shyly gestured to the small newspaper wrapped box in his hand. He sat down on the bed and I placed myself on the floor with crossed legs in front of him. He gave me a short look before removing the paper. I felt my heart beat faster as he opened the lid of the old cigar box.

"Read the lid first," I commanded and so he did. He went on to read the top paper in the small stack.

"You didn't," he said staring down into the little box.

"But I did." I rested my chin on his knee.

"This box is a promise box. Every piece of paper in here holds promises I have now made to you," he read aloud from the lid. I knew perfectly well what the first piece of paper said. I had deliberately placed it on top. 'A promise of two weeks in Venice as soon as we are done with studying. Of course, I'll pay.' He shook his head as he reread it and I stared up at his beautiful face. He looked so innocent being this surprised over something as simple as a note with a promise of a trip written on it. He immediately moved on to read the other notes. As he did I watched his smile as it grew wider and wider. A tear slipped down his cheek as he read the last note. I also knew exactly what that said. 'A promise that every wall you will ever lean your back on, mine will do the same.' He looked down at me, meeting my gaze. He moved the box carefully over on my bedside table and slid down in front of me where he wrapped his legs around my body and kissed me with more passion than I had ever been kissed with before. His hands that rested helplessly in my lap now moved to my hips and up my body all the way to my hair. For a while, we just sat on the floor tangled in each other.

"I think we just created our own wall. One that will stay with us wherever we are as long as we are together," he whispered into my forehead.

"I guess the other walls were merely substitutes for this one. This one promises safety no matter how far out on the dancefloor we end. I should have known the key to leaving the wall was right there leaning up against it all this time."


End file.
